Haggai 1
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1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came by Haggai, the prophet, to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, 2“This is what Yahweh of Armies says: These people say, ‘The time hasn’t yet come, the time for Yahweh’s house to be built.’” 3Then Yahweh’s word came by Haggai, the prophet, saying, 4“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste? 5Now therefore this is what Yahweh of Armies says: Consider your ways. 6You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you don’t have enough. You drink, but you aren’t filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm, and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it.” 7This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “Consider your ways. 8Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,” says Yahweh. 9“You looked for much, and, behold, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says Yahweh of Armies, “Because of my house that lies waste, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10Therefore for your sake the heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on that which the ground produces, on men, on livestock, and on all the labor of the hands.” 12Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed Yahweh, their God’s voice, and the words of Haggai, the prophet, as Yahweh, their God, had sent him; and the people feared Yahweh. 13Then Haggai, Yahweh’s messenger, spoke Yahweh’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you,” says Yahweh. 14Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of Yahweh of Armies, their God, 15in the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
World English Bible (public domain)
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.”
Haggai 1:2
Summary
Haggai chapter 1 begins with a message from the Lord to the people of Judah, delivered through the prophet Haggai. The chapter opens with God addressing the delay in rebuilding the temple, highlighting that the people have prioritized their own homes and comforts over the house of the Lord. The message is a call to self-reflection and action, urging the people to consider their ways and realize the futility of their efforts without God's blessing. The chapter continues with Haggai challenging the people to take up the work of rebuilding the temple, which had been neglected for almost two decades. By focusing on their own prosperity while leaving God's house in ruins, the people are missing out on His provision and favor. Haggai delivers a clear and direct call to action: start the work on the temple for the glory of God, and in response, He will bless their efforts. Theologically, the chapter underscores the importance of putting God first in one's life and priorities. It highlights themes such as obedience, the presence and blessings of God, and the consequences of neglecting divine directives. The people's eventual response to Haggai's urging, as seen later in the chapter, represents a shift towards obedience and the beginning of God's restorative work in their community.
Key Themes
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